Kotkhai CBI Probe: Sentry given police security, CM’s IT Cell grilled

Sentry, Dinesh Sharma, who was on duty at the Kotkhai Police Station on the night accused Suraj was killed in the police custody, is provided with police security as the CBI fears threat to his life.

Shimla: The investigation in the Kotkhai gang rape and murder case is witnessing sudden twists soon after the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a fresh status report in the Himachal Pradesh High Court on August 17, 2017.

CBI has finally reached the IT Cell advisor to the Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh in relation to the pictures of four persons posted on CM’s Facebook page. These photos were later deleted and the four persons were given clean chit by the police.

Edit history of the CM’s FB post shows four images were deleted

Officially CBI has confirmed nothing, but sources say the agency is trying to ascertain the source of these photos. How CM’s IT Cell ended up with posting these photos as suspects and then deleting them? Who sent these photos to the IT Cell?

Reports are coming in that CBI teams have conducted simultaneous raids yesterday on the houses of the persons in these photographs, who were identified as Prashant alias Happy and Ishan. It implies, CBI is keen to establish the relation of the case with these suspects.

CBI fears threat to life of Sentry Dinesh

Another big development in the probe is that the Sentry, Dinesh Sharma, who was on duty at the Kotkhai Police Station on the night accused Suraj was killed in the police custody, is provided with police security as the CBI fears threat to his life.

The Superintendent Police, Shimla, Soumya Sambasivan, confirmed that a constable was deployed for the same.

The entire staff posted at the police station was suspended next day and riots had erupted in the Kotkhai region. Outraged by the killing of the accused in custody, locals had vandalized and set the police station on fire after chasing away the police personnel.

Contrary to his previous statement, the Sentry reportedly gave CBI a different statement. Dinesh said he was on three-hour duty that night and Raju and Suraj were in the same lockup.

However, Dinesh said he did not see Raju killing Suraj during his duty hours. As per media reports, Dinesh told CBI that Suraj was taken to separate place by the Station House Officer.

When the CBI inquired Dinesh why he had given a different statement previously, he told the agency that his signature was taken on a pre-scripted statement.

His statement is believed to have landed some high-rank State Police officers in serious trouble. Therefore, CBI fear there is a considerable threat to the life of Dinesh.

As per a local Hindi daily, a DSP and ASI, who were investigating the case before the formation of the Special Investigation Team, were taken to Delhi for questioning in connection to the case.

CBI has also filed an appeal in the court for conducting a Narco-analysis test on all accused.

The case is haunting the fate of the ruling government in the upcoming legislative assembly polls and the credibility of the State Police.

Locals and the family of the victim believe the police tried to shield the real culprits and framed some laborers as a piece of meat. The suspicion of the people was fueled after four pictures appeared on the CM’s FB page and one of the accused killed in police custody.

The monsoon session of the assembly has begun on August 22 and the opposition is expected to create rucksack over the Kotkhai case.

Foundation Stone of HP Central University in Kangra laid, Will Be Ready in 3 Years, Says Govt

Kangra-The foundation stone of the Central University of Himachal Pradesh at Dehra in Kangra district was laid today by the Union Human Resource Minister Prakash Javadekar and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur.

Prakash Javadekar said that the forest clearance for
construction of this University was also accorded when he was the Union Forest
and Environment Minister. The State Government deposited Rs 6 crore under CAMP
Act for forest clearance.

As per the official information released, the Central
University will have two campuses at two different locations. The first Campus
would be at Jadrangal near Dharamshala, which would be spread in an area of 750
hectares. The second campus would be
established at Dehra in an area of 287 hectares.

The Government said about Rs.1300 crore would be spent on construction of both these campuses and the same would be completed in the next three year, the government said. These campuses would be spread in an area of about 1000 hectare, making it one of the biggest University of the region.

The Government said that an amount of Rs.7044 crore was being spent on the education sector during the current financial year and a provision of Rs.7600 crore had been made for the next financial year.

Kinnaur- An avalanche along the India-China border in Namgya region of Kinnaur district on Wednesday killed one soldier of Jammu and Kashmir Rifles while five others were buried and still missing. The body of one soldier, who was identified as Rakesh Kumar (41) of Ghumarpur village, Shahtalai, Bilaspur district, has been recovered. The rescue operation was underway at the time of writing.

The district administration and Superintendent of Police, Kinnaur, confirmed the news.

Jawans of Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and district police are carrying out an extensive search and rescue operation.

As per initial reports, which are not clear, about 10 jawans
of ITBP were hit by a massive avalanche at about 11 AM on Wednesday while they
were moving from one post to another. Five to six jawans were buried. Remaining
jawans rescued one of them who later died on the way to the hospital in Pooh.

Verification of more details is still awaited.

Himachal Pradesh: Operation underway to rescue 5 jawans trapped in snow after an avalanche hit them in Namgya region of Kinnaur district. pic.twitter.com/zqMslXBBgE